Hate speech: Varun moves HC to quash FIR

Last updated on: March 19, 2009 16:33 IST

Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi on Thursday moved the Allahabad High Court, seeking quashing of the FIR registered against him by the Pilibhit police on the directions of the Election Commission, for his alleged communal speeches. Varun allegedly made the speeches, targeted against a minority community, at Pilibhit in Uttar Pradesh, from where he will fight his maiden Lok Sabha election.

Varun had claimed on Thursday that the allegations were the result of 'a political conspiracy'.

In his petition, 29-year-old Varun has challenged the FIR filed on March 17 at Barkheda Police Station under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act.

The grandson of former prime minister Indira Gandhi alleged in his petition that the FIR, which was lodged nine days after he made the speeches, was 'part of a political conspiracy to spoil his political career and tarnish his secular image'.

He has also alleged that the video footage of a public meeting, on the basis of which the Election Commission has taken the action, 'has been tampered with'.